Handbag or other article of luggage



Ma 10, 1938. F. N. LEWIS 2,116,869

HANDBAG OR OTHER ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE Filed Aug. 29, 1936 IN V EN TOR.

rmed nib ATTORNEYS 7 Patented May 10, 1938 2,116,869 HANDBAG OR OTHER ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE Florence N. Lewis, New York, N. Y., assignor to Elizabeth Arden Sales Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 29, 1936, Serial No. 98,537

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and improved handbag or other article of luggage.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a handbag or the like, having novel and improved closure means.

Another object of my invention is to provide a handbag or the like having turnable locking bars located at the side-faces thereof, said locking bars cooperating with a front locking bar, which is suitably secured to the front wall of the handbag.

Another object of my invention is to provide a handbag or the like having its closure means located wholly below the top of the handbag.

Another object of my invention is to provide a handbag or the like having automatic means, such as a spring or the like, for opening the handbag, when the looking or closure means have been released.

Another object of my invention is to provide a handbag or the like, having a rear wall of greater height than the front wall, the rear wall having a hinged flap which may have a mirror at its inner face, and which supplements the front Wall of the handbag.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the following description and drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, it being understood that the. above general statement of the objects of my invention is intended generally to explain the same, withoutlimiting the invention in any particular. The invention is illustrated in connection with a handbag, but it applies to vanity cases and containers in general.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing the improved handbag.

Fig. 2 is a side perspective view of the improved handbag.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the handbag, in the open position.

Fig. 5 is. a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the parts of the device in different relative positions, so as to disclose certain interior parts or fittings which are not visible in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side perspective view of the improved handbag, in the open position.

Fig. '7 is a detail side elevation of the hinge which is provided in the rear wall of the handbag, in order to form a top member or flap which can be turned relative to said rear wall, to supplement the front wall.

Fig. 8 is a detail View which is generally similar to Fig. 2, a part of the representation of the closure means having been omitted, in order to show the hinged flap which is provided at the rear wall of the handbag, and which is turned downwardly so as to supplement the front wall of the handbag.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view showing the spring which automatically opens the handbag, the representation of a part of the handbag having been omitted, in order to illustrate said spring more clearly.

Fig. 10 is a detail view showing the auxiliary springs for the side locking bars, so that said side locking bars are caused to move back to the normal position shown in Fig. 10, after they are released from the front locking bar. Referring to Fig. 6, the bag comprises a front Wall and a rear wall having frame members 3 and 4. The wall which has the greater height may be designated as the rear wall;

The frame members 3 and 4 are made of metal or any other suitable material, and they may be covered with cloth or any other suitable ornamental material.

Said frame members 3 and 4 are turnably connected to each other by means of pivot pins at the junctions 5 between said frame members 3 and 4.

Fig. 9 shows the frame members 3 and 4, with the outer covering removed, and it also shows one of the pivot pins 511. As shown in Fig. 9, each of the frame members 3 and 4 is provided at its inner end thereof with a lug or extension, and these lugs overlap each other, and they are turnably connected by means of the pins 5a. Fig. 9 also shows a torsion spring which is mounted upon the pin 5a, and said torsion spring 6 is provided with the usual legs which press against the frame members 3 and 4, in order to open the frame automatically to the position shown in Fig. 6. Said torsion spring is provided on each of the pins 5a.

As shown in Fig. 10, the frame member 4 is,

of angular form. The frame member 3 may also be of angular form. The outer faces of said frame member 4 are provided with looking bars 1 and la which are of identical construction and which are connected to said frame member 4 in like manner.

As shown in Fig. 10, the side locking bar 1 is provided with a notch or recess 8. Said locking bar 1 is turnably connected at 9 to the adjacent face of the frame member 4, so that the side looking bar can be turned away from the frame member. The element 9 may be a hinge or pivot pin of any suitable design. The locking bar 7 is recessed adjacent element 9.

A spring ID has one end thereof connected to the frame member 4, and said spring I is located within the adjacent recess of the locking bar 1, and. the spring ID has one end thereof connected to said bar i. The spring I is a torsion spring which normally maintains the bar in the position shown in Fig. 10. However, the bar 1 may be turned away from said position, in order to release it from the front locking bar I I. As shown in Fig. 1, front locking bar ll extends above and beyond the sides of frame member 3.

The front locking bar II is also made of metal, and it may be uncovered. While I prefer to usea separate locking bar H which.is suitably connected to the frame 3, said locking bar I i may be integral with the frame 3.

The ends of the locking bar H project beyond the frame 3, and these projecting ends can be engaged by the notches 8 of the lockingbarsl and la when the bag is in closed position. The

springs l0 maintain the locking'ibarsil andila in operative position, so .as to. hold the bag closed.

However, by" pressing upon said locking bars 7 and 1a, behind the connections 9, saidlocking bars can be turned upwardly so as-to:re1ease the same from'the locking bar Hyand the springs 6 then automatically open the bag to: the position shown in Fig. 6.

-.The rear wall :ofathe'bag is-vprovided with a. supplemental flap 4a, which can be bentz'downwardly so as to abutthe top edge of'thefront wallwof the bag, and'thus supplement said front wall. Theflap 4a is connected by means of a 4a can be turneddownwardly --to-the position shown in Fig; 8.

A suitable spring'or springs,-. like the-spring 6, can be associated with hinge I2, so as to'move .the flap 14a to theposition shown-in-Fig. 6.

The bag is also provided with'az-flex-ible handle H, l which is connected to metal-eyes M, :-which are connected by means of smaller eyes |5to the rear wall of the bag, below: the hinge: !2.

The interior of'the handbag can be fitted in any suitable manner. For example,- the bag can beprovided with a purse P which issuitablycon- --nected to the interior of thefrontwalloftheabag.

The'interiorof the-rear--walll-of the bag can also be provided with-suitable pockets for holding cosmetics and the like.

The inner-face of the flap-4a is also provided with a mirror M, so that when said flap 4a is in the upright position shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. '7, the mirror M is exposed, and said mirror M is protected when the flap 4a is in the position shown in Fig. 8. The flap 4a can have a metal frame which is suitably covered. When the bag is closed, the upper edge portion of front locking bar is above the bottom or free edge of the flap 411, so that flap 4a is held in the position shown in Fig. 8.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my "invention but it is clear that numerous changes and 'omissionscould be made without departing from its spirit.

Iclaim:

1..A. bag having opposed walls of unequal height hinged to each other, the higher wall having a flap hinged to the top thereof and turnable so that the free edge of said flap substantially abuts the top edge of the lower wall when the "bag is' closed, and closure-means for: holding said walls and flap in closedposition, said closure -means comprising abar "connected tothe lower wall andsupplemental' catches connected tothe higher wall and mounted to turn laterally away from-said higherwall, and spring means adapted to holdrsaidcatches in engagement with'said bar, said bar overlying said flap when the bag is closed. 2. A bag having opposed walls of unequal frames having overlapping tongues, pivotpins connecting said tongues, torsion springs mounted on-said pivot pins and operative-to urge said frames-awayfrom-each other in turning move- -ment around said pins, the frame of the lowerwall having locking projectionsextending laterallyfrom the upperedge-portion thereof, catches turnablyconnected to the side walls of the frame of the higher wall and operative to engagesaid -lockingprojections,-springs operative to urge said catches to the position in which they engage said locking projection, a supplemental flap having a vframe which is hinged to the-top edgeof the framerof the higher wall, said flap being of sufficient height to substantially abut the top edge of the-lower wall when thebag is closed, the inner face of the flap having a mirror connected thereto, saidflap being upwardly turnable to a position i-nwhich said mirror is located abovethe --top of the higherwall, the frame of the lower wall x50 having a top portionwhich overlaps the adjacent" edge of the flap when the bag is closed.

FLORENCE N. LEWIS.

- height, --said walls having angular frames, "said 1 

